


a star in your heart

by astromantic



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pining, the sappy stargazing fic i wanted to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:34:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13895379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astromantic/pseuds/astromantic
Summary: Jihoon shines bright, like a shooting star.Daniel wonders if Jihoon can grant wishes.





	a star in your heart

_i got stars in my eyes_  
_and a sea in the dark_  
_just a word to the wise_  
_don’t go tripping over your heart_  
[♪](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxWkiApqT4c)  


 

 

 

He looks up to cosmic skies, nebulas, and constellations splattered across the ceiling in a vast array of colors: exhibits completely capturing the essence of the celestial universe.

Daniel doesn't know much about astronomy, or even just space in general, but he knows that the view before him is breathtaking in a way that can't be expressed in words. It’s so surreal, that what he sees is a projection of reality, rather than some abstract, beautiful work of art painted on the ceiling. He wonders if this is how astronauts must feel: being exposed to all the beauty in the galaxy at once, guided by a sense of wonder, hoping to discover something new about the universe every day.

 

 

Daniel visits the planetarium alone on a Sunday afternoon shortly after his shift at the nearby convenience store is over. It's his first time in a place like this; he's never had much interest in museums in general, but for once, he wants to learn more, genuinely curious about the fascination behind pursuing a career in studying things far away from their reach.

(Memories replay in Daniel’s mind of a certain bespectacled boy in the astronomy department—with big, shining eyes that remind Daniel of the stars in the night sky—whose immense love for the stellar systems and the galaxy contrasts his small stature.)

He listens to the audio recordings, facts about the displays before him spoken by a woman with a soothing voice that nearly lulls him to sleep in the comfort of the theatre chair. Daniel slaps his face—drawing attention to himself from families around him in the process—but it’s enough to force himself awake. He’s adamant on absorbing the content of the lessons; it’s his sole purpose for going to the planetarium in the first place: to learn more about space, more about the universe.

(More about Park Jihoon.)

 

 

On his way home from the planetarium, Daniel stops by the library, seeking books on astronomy, constellations and the like. (He sifts through a few, making sure to grab the ones with lots of pictures, just for convenience.) He’s quick to get started once he gets home, still riding on the excitement and marvel leftover from his trip to the planetarium. The material is dense, full of words he needs to look up on _Naver_ , but Daniel hopes that remembering at least a couple tidbits here and there is enough to impress Jihoon at their next meetup.

_23 more hours._

_22 hours and 59 minutes until he can see Jihoon again_.

Daniel traces the outlines of the constellations with a finger, etching each shape into memory. He learns about _Lyra_ , one of the more simpler constellations; the brightness of Lyra’s star, _Vega,_ in helping him find the starting point; _Orion_ 's belt, the name of the formation that makes up the seven points of _Ursa’s_ big dipper. Even at the beginner level it’s overwhelming; he wonders how Jihoon has the mental capacity to remember all these patterns, all these theories and foreign terms. As ridiculous as it is, the only explanation Daniel comes up with is that Jihoon must be otherworldly himself: born from wish upon a shooting star. Daniel wonders if Jihoon can grant wishes—not that it really matters, because Jihoon’s existence alone is already enough; that being able to exist in the same time, in the same dimension, is all Daniel could really ask for.

(But he can’t help but hope for something more.)

Daniel looks out his window; hours spent on research and daydreaming quickly turns the day to night. It’s the perfect opportunity to put his newfound knowledge to the test, so he dims his lights and gazes up at the sky, looking at his books for reference, hoping to find Orion’s dipper from the view of his apartment.

  
He wonders if he and Jihoon are connected in this very moment, looking out at the same starry night sky.

 

 

 

 _i wanna be honest with you_  
_real love in your eyes_  
_got passion to follow_  
_no hiding tonight  
honestly i’m yearning for you_

 

 

 

Daniel insists their meetup is just a friendly, casual get-together, a way to get to know each other better, but he still can’t help but feel butterflies in his stomach at the thought of being alone with Jihoon. ( _You’re nervous cause it’s a date. God, you’re so oblivious."_ Seongwu had teased him that morning. Daniel socked him in the shoulder and retreated to the bathroom immediately after.) He hears the buzzer go off, signaling Jihoon’s arrival outside.

Daniel checks the time. It’s 7:00 PM right on the dot; he wonders how early Jihoon actually arrived for him to be so punctual.

(He pictures a nervous Jihoon standing outside his apartment, checking his watch for the exact moment to hit the buzzer to call Daniel down, but the thought of Jihoon bundled up in a scarf and thick coat is so cute, so overwhelming that Daniel needs a few extra moments for the intense redness of his face to go away.)

When Daniel comes down the elevator, he spots Jihoon right at the entrance: glasses fogged up, nose red, and a large blanket folded in his arms as he very visibly tries to resist the urge to shiver. It’s clear that Jihoon is near freezing—exactly _how_ long has he been standing out there?—so Daniel jogs quickly to the door, feeling the cool Seoul winter air as Jihoon hurries his way inside. Daniel takes a closer look at the blanket, noticing the purple and blue hues, specks of white scattered across the design and it takes all of one second for him to realize that it’s _galaxy-printed_. It’s so typical, so befitting for Jihoon—their school’s resident _star_ —that Daniel can’t help but grin.

Before Daniel can say anything about it, Jihoon catches him staring. He buries his face in the fabric; the tips of his ears turning red. And predictably, the sight of Jihoon embarrassed like this—shy, small and adorable—is once again effective in making Daniel’s heart skip a beat. He covers his mouth with the back of his hand, lets out a laugh and pats Jihoon on the back, hoping to conceal the smile on his face and the loud pounding in his chest.

"I thought it might get cold, so I brought it.” Jihoon explains, flustered by Daniel’s reaction, "I’ve had it since I was a kid. Don’t make fun of me."

"I won’t, I won’t, sorry.” Daniel laughs, "I was just thinking about how much it suits you."

  
  


They make their way to the roof; the elevator only takes them to the last floor and then there’s one last set of stairs before they reach the top. Daniel leads the way, with Jihoon walking quickly to match Daniel’s pace.

There’s an attempt at small talk; Jihoon asks standard, generic questions (“ _How was your day?” “How was work?”_ ) and Daniel finds it easy to blabber on and on about the weird antics of customers at his part-time job. When he finishes his story—cutting it short so that Jihoon doesn’t think he’s being annoyingly talkative—he returns the questions back to Jihoon ( _“How about you?” “How’re your classes going?_ ”) but Jihoon’s responses are quick and prompt ( _“Oh, just finished my lecture and came straight here.” “Same old, same old. Haha.”_ ) Automated, as if he rehearsed his answers before coming.

(Daniel wonders if Jihoon is somehow intimidated by him, but can’t figure out how someone who looks as ethereal as Jihoon does could ever be intimidated by anyone.)

  
  


The cold air hits them like a brick once again they open the door to the rooftop, and stepping back outside to winter night makes Jihoon’s body shudder and his teeth clatter as he covers his face with a gloved hand to shield himself against the cold.

On the other hand, Daniel’s used to this; the trauma having spent too many winters before in a shitty apartment with frequent power outages and a landlord too cheap to fix their faulty heating system had at least helped him build up some endurance for nights like this. So without a second thought, he takes off his padded coat and drapes it over Jihoon’s shoulders.

Jihoon nearly jumps in surprise. “You don’t have to—” He says, shying away from Daniel’s gesture.

“Come on, you need it more than I do.” Daniel insists. His breath comes out visible in the winter night; Jihoon doesn’t look convinced, but he reluctantly accepts the jacket anyway. He offers his blanket to Daniel in return; the white specks glow in the dark now that they’re outside, and seeing the galaxy print bringing back memories of the view at the planetarium once again.

Daniel waves his hands. “No, it’s okay. I don’t get cold easily.”

“Don’t be stubborn.” Jihoon pouts. “You gave me yours so I’m giving you mine.” He unfolds the blanket and leans in, standing on his tiptoes so that he can wrap the ends of the blanket around Daniel’s neck.

Jihoon is dangerously close, just shy of a full on embrace. Daniel feels his heartbeat in his throat, and he’s too paralyzed to even think about turning down Jihoon’s offer—not that he thinks he wants to anymore.

When Jihoon pulls away, Daniel feels a gentle knot pressed against the back of his neck. The blanket feels secure around his neck; Jihoon had arranged it as a makeshift scarf, and the galaxy print drapes down from his shoulders and covers the upper half of his torso.

It does feel warmer. Not just from the blanket, but he also feels a burning in his face from the realization of how close Jihoon had been moments before.

“Thanks.” Daniel says, pulling the blanket scarf up to hide his joy.

The gratitude makes Jihoon smile. A light from the apartment building across the street reflects off his glasses, and it shines momentarily like the twinkle of a star.

Jihoon is so enchanting that Daniel feels like caught in his orbit; being drawn in by Jihoon’s gravitational pull. And although Daniel feels weak at the knees and at a constant lack of words, there’s something about Jihoon that makes him feel comfortable. (Grounded, even if he could swear that being around Jihoon brings him a happiness akin to floating.)

The cold quickly becomes an afterthought; the only thing he can focus on is the beat of his heart and warmth from the blanket.

(And with his back turned and unaware of Daniel’s gaze, how cute Jihoon looks as he quietly slips his arms into the sleeves of Daniel’s over-sized coat.)

 

 

The view of the city from the rooftop of Daniel’s apartment is one he’s seen multiple times—more often than not as the setting for their loud rooftop parties, only made worse by Seongwu’s large circle of acquaintances. But it’s quiet now, peaceful, and instead of countless bodies taking up all the space, it’s just Daniel and Jihoon—just the two of them together—and even without any words exchanged, Jihoon’s presence alone is all the company he needs.

Daniel peers up at the night sky, noticing how the absence of the moon brings out the full intensity of the stars’ brilliance. It’s simple really; far away spots of white against a black canvas, but there’s something about that simplicity, the way that an assortment of stars can make for such a magical, breathtaking experience.

"I never get tired of looking at this." Jihoon whispers, breaking the silence and pulling Daniel back to reality.

Daniel glances back at Jihoon and sees just how at peace Jihoon looks; raised cheeks and the corners of his mouth turned upwards, the look of tranquility just from being underneath his beloved stars. Even in the dark night, illuminated only the city lights in the distance, Daniel can still see the view reflected in Jihoon’s lenses: a speck of wonder mixed in with the stars behind Jihoon’s eyes.

"Me neither." He responds.

 

 

Even with the research from last night, Daniel is still having a difficult time identifying one star apart from the rest. But at least it’s a conversation starter, because it gets Jihoon to overcome his nerves and start talking to him. Jihoon points out constellations, explaining the mythology behind the origins; reciting the legends of Aquarius and Cassiopeia from memory, as if he were telling bedtime stories to a child. He tells Daniel about supernovas, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, of new planets. And Daniel listens and listens, amused and captivated by his enthusiasm. He's so enthralled by Jihoon's voice—the way he recites fact after fact with such confidence—that it isn't until minutes later that he notices that Jihoon has somehow become alarmingly close—leaning against him—with Jihoon’s arm across Daniel’s back in order to navigate his gaze to a particular spot that Jihoon points out.

It’s just a casual touch—Daniel’s sure there’s no hidden meaning behind it—but the realization still leaves him paralyzed. He hears Jihoon asking him a question; he’s not sure _exactly_ what, because the only thing he’s aware of is the feeling of Jihoon’s body pressed against his.

The lack of response makes Jihoon concerned, and it’s then he realizes how close they’re standing next to each other. Jihoon backs away immediately; his eyes focused on the ground as he furthers the distance between them. The confidence from before starts to disappear from Jihoon’s expression, and Daniel can tell that Jihoon is still unfamiliar with this kind of intimacy.

Jihoon’s hand moves to the back of his head and he ruffles his hair. _A nervous habit?_ , Daniel ponders.

“I’m sorry,” Jihoon says, almost mumbling, “I tend to get—um, really over-excited when it comes to this. Clearly.” Jihoon eyes glance over at the blanket scarf around Daniel’s neck and he smiles sheepishly.

“It’s fine, I didn’t mi—”

“None of my friends really get it. The whole space thing.” Jihoon pauses to look up at the sky, still avoiding Daniel’s gaze. “My family too. They’re supportive but they don’t understand it either.”

“I get it though,” Jihoon continues, “It might be unlikely that I’ll discover anything significant in my lifetime, but I still love it. All of it. I want to know more, how we all came to be. What lies beyond _us_. Other galaxies, universes, alternate universes—” Jihoon pauses to laugh, “Maybe there’s an alternate me who knows how to talk to you normally without being a rambling mess.”

Daniel doesn’t know how to interpret Jihoon’s latest statement, unsure if Jihoon’s trying to imply something more, whether he harbors the same thoughts that have been occupying Daniel’s mind since the first time they met. So instead, Daniel reaches out and strokes the back of Jihoon’s head in an attempt to comfort him: an impulsive habit learned from years spent taming cats.

“Thanks for inviting me to watch the stars with you.” Jihoon mumbles, leaning into Daniel’s touch. His head is still down, and Daniel wonders if he’s blushing, though it’s impossible to tell in the dark. “It’s the first time anyone’s asked me to do something like this. It feels a little intimate.” Jihoon pauses again. “It’s new but… not in a bad way.”

Jihoon finally looks up, making eye contact with Daniel for the first time that night since they arrived to the rooftop. In that exact moment, Daniel gets another glimpse of the galaxy in Jihoon’s eyes. He wonders if maybe it’s an illusion; maybe Jihoon’s eyes are like black holes instead, pulling him in with such a great intensity that there’s no escape.

(Not that he would ever do that, not if there’s Park Jihoon on the other side.)

Daniel doesn’t know what comes over him in that split second, the depths of Jihoon’s eyes somehow cause a shutdown of his rational thinking processes. He doesn't stop to think; he hopes he's reading the signs correctly and he leans forward, until his lips meet Jihoon’s.

 

It feels like all time has stopped. There's a painful silence and it’s then when Daniel’s brain decides to switch back on, the overwhelming rush of feelings hitting him hard all at once. _Anxiety. Uncertainty. Regret._ His fight-or-flight receptors start to kick in and the adrenaline causes his heart to beat out of his chest rapidly, this time out of fear.

While lost in thought, Daniel finds Jihoon, albeit nervous, kissing him back.

(Daniel wonders if he can still remember how to breathe after this.)

 

 

 

Seconds pass by like hours, and it’s Jihoon who breaks contact first. Daniel is too scared to open his eyes, afraid of seeing the reaction on Jihoon’s face once he finally processes what Daniel just did. Anxiety clouds Daniel’s mind: unsure of what to do next, how he can even begin to explain the reason for the sudden kiss.

_I’m sorry. I like you so much, my heart feels like a supernova._

But when he opens his eyes and takes a look at Jihoon’s expression, it contradicts what Daniel had expected. He anticipates shock, anger, dismay: something that’d confirm his underlying dread that he made a mistake in judgement.

Instead, Jihoon’s expression is innocent; wide eyes, mouth agape—an abundance of confusion instead of displeasure. Daniel attempts to stifle his laughter out of disbelief, but it causes Jihoon’s expression to change from bashful to offended.

Jihoon hits Daniel in the arm and pouts. “If I was really that bad, just say it. You don’t need to laugh.”

Daniel shakes his head fervently, “No—sorry, you’re just— _god_ , you’re cute.”

Jihoon stiffens, caught off-guard by Daniel’s unexpected honesty. He pouts again, with more emphasis this time. “You—Did you plan this on purpose? You must have known I’d be most vulnerable like this.” Jihoon points his finger upwards. Underneath his beloved stars.

“It wasn’t planned, swear.” Daniel insists, “Though I can’t say I haven’t been considering it. Many times, actually.”

Jihoon pulls the hood of the coat—Daniel’s coat—over his face in a haste attempt to conceal his reaction to the unexpected confession. But Daniel notices anyway: the grin on Jihoon’s face before it disappears behind the fabric and the way the younger boy struggles to stifle his giggling. An idea pops up in his head, and he shuffles behind Jihoon, pulling the smaller boy into an embrace as he wraps his arms around Jihoon’s waist.

“So you won’t get cold.” Daniel offers as an excuse. Jihoon turns his head around, and his lips quickly brush against Daniel’s. A peck. Short and sweet, just like Jihoon.

“Revenge for catching me off guard earlier.” Jihoon sticks his tongue out. He turns around hurriedly, letting out a forced laugh to mask his embarrassment.

“If you’re going to do that, at least do it properly.” Daniel teases, pulling at Jihoon’s ear.

Jihoon lightly elbows him in the stomach. “I clearly don’t know how, seeing as how you were both my first _and_ second kiss.” Jihoon’s voice becomes increasingly shaky with nervousness as he pauses, carefully considering his next words. “I guess… you’ll have to teach me?”

Before his mind can completely process the last sentence, Daniel leans into Jihoon for the second time that night, heart pounding and mind racing with elation.

 

(He’s convinced now, more than ever, that Jihoon _does indeed_ have the ability to grant wishes.)

 

 

 

 _cause here we are_  
_backs to the floor_  
_they say you never see it coming_  
_does it feel like falling?_

 

 

 

There’s a peaceful stillness; a sign of the intimacy between the two of them, content with just each other’s company despite the silence. Daniel's fingers intertwine with Jihoon's as they lean against the railing, looking out at the view before them. The illumination from the starry sky and the bright lights of the cityscape are reminiscent of the planetarium. The illusion of being in space.

That he and Jihoon, in this time and space, are the only ones who exist in the universe.

(And to Daniel, it doesn’t seem that far from reality.)  

He shifts his gaze to Jihoon next to him, and realizes that Jihoon's fallen asleep, body slumped, rested against Daniel’s grasp. There's a certain serenity to seeing Jihoon in this state: the way his large glasses nearly slip off his nose, the gentle movements of his chest as he inhales and exhales. _The way his hands are still gripping Daniel's, even in slumber._

 

Daniel looks up at the night sky again and ponders. There's a certain mystery about space that makes it so beautiful, yet daunting at the same time. He thinks of all the people who have spent years of their life, hundreds of years of accumulated research on something so vast as space. He recalls Jihoon telling him earlier, with enthusiasm and wonder, that there's still much discovered about what lies beyond the planet, their solar system, and even the universe.

He thinks it's a perfect metaphor for Jihoon. How Jihoon is far more beautiful than the legends of Andromeda; how Jihoon shines even brighter than Sirius. He wonders how it's possible that Jihoon is human, and not one of the celestial beings that he studies. There's a certain mystery to him, something ethereal and unknown that makes Daniel wish that they offered courses on Park Jihoon, so that he could also devote years of his life researching him.

 

(But he knows that even then, a lifetime spent still wouldn't be enough time to completely discover how wonderful Jihoon is, how much he has to offer.)

 

 

 _i see stars in the sky_  
_and they’ll be there tomorrow_  
_will you be in my life_  
_in the many nights to follow?_

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually the first nw fic i ever wrote... back in august 2017... cries. i always wanted to write something cheesy and cute(ish?) and this was meant to be a part of something longer but ended up getting stuck, so i just fixed it up to be a short one-shot so it wouldn't go to waste. ;; it's been so long...
> 
> this is kind of different from my other things but tysm for reading if you got this far ;; (i've learned to leave the fluff fics to the experts haha) i'm planning on coming back with longer two-shot(?!) fic (that's uh... closer to my regular stuff lol) really soon! until then, don't forget to stream IPU hehe


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